Fireflies Game Notes: June 8 Doubleheader at Hickory (Games 60 & 61)
June 8, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (23-36) vs. Hickory Crawdads (38-22)
Game 1: RHP Christian James (2-4, 4.39) vs. RHP Yerry Rodriguez (5-2, 2.20)
Game 2: RHP Jose Butto (1-7, 4.67) vs. LHP Grant Wolfram (1-1, 3.03)
Sat., June 8, 2019 - L.P. Frans Stadium (Hickory, NC) - First Pitch 4:00 p.m. - Games 60 & 61
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LAST TIME OUT: Ronny Mauricio went on a rampage on Thursday against Hickory. The South Atlantic League All-Star doubled twice, homered and scored three runs. His efforts were wasted, though, and the Fireflies lost the series opener, 4-3, at L.P. Frans Stadium. Melvin Novoa walked it off with an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. Thomas Szapucki returned to Columbia's roster on Thursday and tossed two scoreless innings. The Mets prospect struck out three. Szapucki is working his way back to 100% after Tommy John surgery derailed his entire 2018 season.
THIS KID CAN HIT: Mauricio became the first Firefly in 2019 to score three runs in a game and record three extra-base hits in a game. In fact, the Mets prospect is just the fifth Firefly in franchise history to record three extra-base hits in a game. His eight total bases on Thursday were also a 2019 team-best.
ON REPEAT: It was Hansel Moreno who drove in Mauricio twice on Thursday. That was Moreno's third multi-RBI game of the year. The 22-year-old is second on the team in batting average (.286).
BLAME IT ON THE RAIN: Columbia's game against Hickory on Friday was rained out and moved to Saturday as part of a doubleheader. This will be the Fireflies' third true doubleheader of the season (2-2 in prior two).
MAURICIO MAGIC: Fireflies shortstop Ronny Mauricio was named a South Atlantic League All-Star on Tuesday. Mauricio is fifth in the league with 63 hits and sixth in total at-bats (215). The second-rated Mets prospect also leads Columbia in batting average (.293), runs (25), hits and games played (53). Mauricio, a physically gifted switch-hitter, is just 18 years old and one of the youngest players in New York's minor-league system. The native of the Dominican Republic signed with the Mets for $2.1 million in the summer of 2017.
MAURICIO MAGIC, Pt. II: Mauricio is currently riding a nine-game hit streak (May 26-June 6). The shortstop is hitting .385 (15-for-39) during the streak. Mauricio has also reached base safely in 15 of his last 16 games.
MOUND MOJO: Fireflies pitchers punched out 11 Hickory hitters on Thursday and have now struck out 34 batters in their last three games.
F=m(a): Shervyen Newton has turned things around at the plate. The 20-year-old Mets prospect was hitting .078 over his first 16 games as a Firefly (April 22-May 12). Since May 13 (23 GP), the Curacao native is batting .271 (23-for-85). Newton recently recorded a 10-game hit streak (May 22-June 1) and the infielder has reached safely in 19 of the last 23 games.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 8, 2019
- Braves offense stalls again in defeat - Rome Emperors
- Keuchel Slated to Start in Rome Monday - Rome Emperors
- Guance, Matson Stifle Suns as 'Birds Roll - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Los Perros Santos Score Early, Pile on Late to Take Game Three - Charleston RiverDogs
- McConnell's Multi-Hit Effort Not Enough in 8-2 Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Los Perros Santos Blank Tourists in One-Sided Affair - Asheville Tourists
- June 8th Doubleheader Postponed, Doubleheader Scheduled for Sunday - Augusta GreenJackets
- Saturday's Games Washed Out - Hickory Crawdads
- Rain Wreaks Havoc Again, Interrupts Columbia's Doubleheader vs. Hickory - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 8 Doubleheader at Hickory (Games 60 & 61) - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (June 8) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
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